We hope you have enjoyed our advent tips from the Junior School Eco Club throughout December.
Heriot’s young people have a big say in how their school is run; being involved is part of their education. Some inspired ideas have emerged from our pupils and they are often instrumental in bringing about change in our community and beyond.
We engage with all of the strands of Learning for Sustainability in both curricular and extra-curricular areas in the Junior and Senior School to ensure that our pupils gain an awareness of local, national and international environmental issues, and a sense that they can each make a difference.
In the Senior School, the Environmental Action Research Team (EARTH) meets weekly to coordinate our recycling system, discuss environmental issues and watch related documentaries. In Junior School, our Eco Club meets weekly to help with recycling and environmental projects, including pen recycling through Terracycle.
Click here to read about our Eco-Schools Green Flag Award.
Day 1 – Homemade gifts are thoughtful, fun and kind to the environment
Day 2 – Use brown paper instead of wrapping paper
Day 3 – Choose not to chop! Buy a living Christmas Tree which can be replanted, or use a previous year’s artificial Christmas tree.
Day 4 – Why don’t you try making your own natural wreath out of holly?
Day 5 – Bake your own! Bake your own Christmas treats as most treats comes in plastic packaging.
Day 6 – Turn off your Christmas lights when you aren’t in – save energy
Day 7 – We encourage you not to buy individually wrapped chocolates – save on the packaging
Day 8 – Shop local – save the environment
Day 9 – Remember you can donate Christmas gifts to charity this Christmas
Day 10 – Use a gift bag rather than wrapping paper (and reuse)
Day 11 – Try a Secret Santa, this will mean you buy less and there will be fewer unwanted gifts
Day 12 – Give the gift of time, it’s eco-friendly and loving
Day 13 – Make your own Christmas decorations – saves plastic when a bauble breaks and you have to throw it away.
Day 14 – Have you considered giving to Charity instead of sending Christmas cards this year?
Day 15 – Make your own Advent Calendar. Have you made your own this year?
Day 16 – Give wooden presents instead of plastic toys – this will promote giving less and also less plastic being produced
Day 17 – Go battery free! Batteries are hard to get rid of and often leak in landfill sites, which is harmful to the environment
Day 18 – Please remember to donate food to your local food bank
Day 19 – Gift experiences this year – it reduces plastic use
Day 20 – Reuse your wrapping paper (get creative or re-wrap)
Day 21 – Reuse your tinsel from the tree – saves buying more
Day 22 – Make your own Christmas crackers this year
Day 23 – Use the leftovers from your Christmas dinner – experiment with recipes and don’t waste food
Day 24 – A summary ‘Christmas Pollution Ideas’
